Work camp builder Horizon North moves further into modular construction with Ontario acquisition

CALGARY—Horizon North Logistics Inc., an Alberta-based firm best know as a provider of temporary work camps, is expanding its presence both in eastern Canada and in the modular construction market with a new acquisition.

Horizon North said earlier this month it has agreed to buy NRB Inc. (Canada), which makes a range of permanent and temporary buildings at its 95,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Grimsby, Ont.

Rod Graham, Horizon North’s president and CEO, said the deal is the next step in the company’s Canadian growth strategy.

“Like our other locations in Kamloops, Aldergrove and Calgary, the NRB Canada manufacturing facility is strategically located near major transportation routes and a diverse labour pool, meaning we are now well-situated to provide our turn-key modular solutions across the country,” he said in a statement. “Equal in importance to the growth in the territories we serve is the expansion in product portfolio that will be realized through this integration.”

While Horizon North has focused mainly on wood-frame modular builds, NRB Canada has expertise in steel frame construction. The separate segments and regions that the two companies serve should create opportunities for both businesses across the country, according to Joseph Kiss, president of Horizon North’s Modular Solutions unit.

With a combination of labour and cost pressures, off-site construction has been picking up across Canada in recent years.

The cash and stock deal is worth $16.5 million. It’s expected to close in April.